The Northern Lights
by CBloom2
Summary: Two brothers - road trip - going on a holiday that I would love to go on. See for yourself...


**So this little (or maybe not so little) one shot came to me in the bath again. It's set a few weeks after my last fic (so Honey is dead - sorry) and it's our favourite doctor brothers enjoying some down time having what would be my perfect holiday.**

 **I don't know my way around Northern Scotland or anything so I may not be accurate with my details but I'll do my best.**

 **I don't want this to be a miserable story but there will be a smattering of sadness and brotherly bonding and maybe a hint of mushiness!**

 **As always I don't own anyone that you recognise - they belong to the BBC.**

 **The Northern Lights**

Day three of the long awaited road trip, saw the distinguished Dr Caleb Knight and Dr Ethan Hardy stumble out of their third whiskey distillery tour in as many days. The two doctors were on their way to Wick in the Scottish Highlands to re-live some of their treasured childhood memories after a particularly challenging year.

"Should we buy a bottle of that last one we tried?" Cal suggested as they carefully paced around the distillery gift shop.

Ethan nodded, "Mmm that was a particularly tasty one - good vintage," he chuckled.

Cal nodded, "Yes I believe you're right little brother," he agreed as he went to pay for the bottle and Ethan left the building.

Cal followed a little while after, slowing his pace as he saw the younger man perched on the edge of a bench, his face lifted towards the sky, letting the cold, crisp winter breeze roll across his face. Cal stopped and watched for a few seconds hoping that his brother was alright. He'd had an awful couple of months with having to cope with the death of his girlfriend, then failing his exams, but he seemed to be coping quite well with it all. The older brother had suggested the holiday, to which Ethan had readily agreed, even down to the point of going with him! He'd agreed to go on the distillery tours and Cal had agreed that they hire a cottage in the middle of nowhere to totally get away from it all, even though the thought of being nowhere near a big city kind of filled him with dread, but he knew that Ethan needed some solitude so that he could sort himself out.

He cleared his throat, "Ready to go?"

Ethan jumped a little, but soon composed himself, "Yes I am. Where to now?"

"How about some lunch in that little restaurant on the High Street, then we can go and play hunt the cottage," Cal suggested, knowing that it would be a miracle if they found the cottage at all.

"Sounds good - I definitely need something to soak up all that whiskey," Ethan replied as he took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Cal couldn't stop himself from asking even though he knew it was driving his brother mad.

Ethan sighed, "Yes I'm fine thank you. Just a bit tired and tipsy..."

"Never could take your liquor," Cal slurred in a terrible Scottish accent, which made his brother chuckle.

After a delicious lunch, they bought a few provisions to take to the cottage and set off in search of their lodgings for the next few days. Ethan had put the postcode into the sat nav on his phone, "It tells you everything..." he trailed off as he had a flash memory of the day of the crash, when he had been explaining about the exact same thing. He shook it off hoping that Cal hadn't noticed. If he had, he didn't say anything.

Within half a hour they had found it, without getting lost once. The owner, a friendly middle aged man, was there to meet them. He showed them around, explaining how to get the fire to work and the heating/hot water. As Cal followed him around, Ethan was immediately drawn to the impressive view. He opened the patio doors that led to a decked area overlooking a never ending expanse of sea. The cool breeze tickled his face with an icy feather like touch as he watched and listened to the waves in front of him.

Presently, a steaming cup appeared in front of his face, followed by his brother, "Wow," Cal breathed, "I don't remember it being this impressive when we were little."

"It's a shame we don't appreciate these things when we are younger..." Ethan replied as he took a seat on the decking and gently sipped his tea, "This is perfect Cal, thanks."

Cal smiled broadly feeling rather pleased with himself.

They spent the next couple of hours just sat drinking in the wondrous sight in front of them, even Cal who was known for not being able to sit still for long.

Suddenly, he got to his feet, "Right, I don't know about you, but I'm freezing. How about you go and get a bath or a shower to warm up while I prepare a stew, then we'll swap round."

"Whatever you say Nigella," Ethan answered sarcastically, earning a friendly punch to his arm.

Ethan laid in the warm bath, feeling his stress melting into the water around him. He was already in his element in this place - he was even enjoying being with his brother, but one thing was missing...Honey. He knew that she would've loved it there, although he could hear her voice saying that it was far to cold, and how on earth was she supposed to make a stew? He chuckled to himself even as a tear tracked down his face. He angrily swiped it away. No, he wasn't going to do that. He wasn't going to spoil the holiday by getting all emotional, he'd had enough of that.

When he walked back into the open plan living room/kitchen/dining room, Cal had lit the fire which was roaring away in the hearth. It felt amazing. Cal took his turn in the bathroom, only using the shower by the length of time it took him to wash, then it was time to dish up.

Ethan spooned the stew into two bowls - it looked and smelled delicious. The two young men took their bowls into the living room where they sat and ate in front of the fire, "Not bad - is it from a tin?" Ethan asked, keeping his face as straight as he could.

Cal's eyes narrowed, "How dare you," he said in mock hurt.

"It's delicious," Ethan told him honestly as he tucked in heartily, this being the first meal that he had truely enjoyed since before Honey died.

They cleared up then settled down to enjoy one of the films that had been left by the owner of the cottage. After it had ended, Cal managed to get himself online and began to check his emails and social media accounts. Ethan smiled, knowing that Cal had done well to have been offline for most of the day. He decided to put his head out of the patio doors again, but soon realised how cold it was. He headed into his bedroom and grabbed the quilt off his bed. He then went back out, making sure he closed the door fully, then sat on a lounger as he wrapped the quilt around him. He pulled it right up to his chin as he sank deeper into it. It was pitch black out there, with no lights for miles around. As his eyes grew accostomed to the darkness, he was able to make out some subtle light from a crescent moon, then all of a sudden he became aware of the millions of stars that filled the sky. He let his head rest back on the chair as he just absorbed the heavenly scene.

Cal logged off and shut down the computer. As he waited for it to shut down, he glanced outside to see Ethan bundled up in his quilt, he face once more looking up, wonder filling his expression. Cal knew that he'd be looking at the stars as he had always been fascinated by astronomy. He went into his own bedroom, put some warm clothes on, grabbed his own quilt and made his way to his brother. He stopped on the way to grab a couple of glasses and the bottle of whiskey that he had bought earlier.

He quietly joined the younger man on the decking, taking the lounger opposite, "Can I tempt you to a wee dram?" His attempt at a Scottish accent was worse than the last one.

Ethan chuckled, "Not quite nailed the accent yet," he told him as he held his hand out for a glass.

Cal passed him one then poured a small amount of the amber liquid into it. He noticed, in the dim light that was coming from a small lamp in the living room, that his younger brother's cheeks were damp and he felt disappointed because he had been hoping that the younger man was not being dragged into his recent traumas. He decided to face it head on.

"I know you're fed up with me asking Ethan, but how are you doing...really?"

Ethan sucked in a deep breath, "I'm getting there," he said honestly, "Let's not talk about it here. I don't want to spoil the holiday."

"Maybe this is the best place to talk about it. Under the stars, a glass of whiskey in hand..."

"Doesn't get much better than this," the younger man finished.

"Are you thinking about Honey?" Cal ventured.

"Of course - when I was in the bath, I kept thinking about how much she would love it here, apart from the fact that it would be to cold for her - but it's not just that..." he trailed off, looking out towards the water that he could still hear.

"What else?" Cal pushed.

"I'm embarrassed..." he admitted, looking across at his older brother, who looked confused, "I'm embarrassed about failing the exams. I know this sounds big headed but I've never failed exams before and I...well I don't think I'm handling it very well," it sounded ridiculous, even to him, but Cal did ask. He prepared himself for a verbal bashing from the older man.

"You don't give yourself enough credit Ethan. I know you've never failed exams and you admitting that you don't know how to handle it shows to me that you're not big headed or conceited or any of the above, it shows me that you are honest and truthful. Anyone who fails exams and tells you that they are alright with it are lying through their back teeth and that includes me!"

Ethan sighed once more as he leaned over and poured another shot of whiskey in his and his brother's glass, "I hope you know that I'm proud of you though Cal - you passed with flying colours. Just goes to show that you can do - you can go all the way," he told him honestly.

"Thanks," Cal's voice cracked slightly.

"I spoke to Connie before we came away," Ethan began, "She was lovely. She told me not to worry about it and that she was confident that when I take them again I will pass without problem. She told me that she was impressed with how I had dealt with everything that had been thrown at me this past year or so - mum's death, you coming back into my life, the crash, Taylor, Honey, failing the exams..."

"Good grief, when you put it like that," Cal looked shocked.

Ethan chuckled, "That's what I said to her. When she listed everything I was surprised that I was here at all!"

They sat for a few minutes in silence, just listening to the waves as they sipped their drinks.

Suddenly, Cal noticed a change in the atmosphere. He glanced around him, "Is it me, or has it gone a bit green round here?"

Ethan sat up straight as he looked round himself, "Oh my god, it's the Aurora..."

"Come again?"

"The Northern Lights - surely you've heard of them?" Ethan was awestruck.

"Yes I've heard of them - but I thought you could only see them in Norway or something."

"Apparently the North of Scotland is one of the best places to see them. Oh look Cal - look how the light his dancing..." he trailed off as the beautiful, shimmering greens and yellows, intersperced with pinks and reds, danced across the sky like a row of elegant ballerinas.

"Wow, amazing," Cal breathed. His eyes caught Ethan who just looked like he did twenty years ago when he looked up at the sky to watch the stars.

"Ethan, I'm sorry about Honey."

"Cal, you've got to stop feeling guilty about Honey - there was nothing more that you could've done. I still think about what I did to Taylor..."

"You were right about her Eth - you did the right thing, " Cal insisted.

"And I'm also right when I tell you that Honey's death was not your fault!"

Out of nowhere, a pink flare lit up the coloured sky, "See, Honey agrees with me," Ethan told his brother, who now had tears rolling down his face.

After wiping the tears from his face, Cal shuffled round so that he could put his feet up on Ethans lounger, with Ethan mirroring his brother, their legs resting against each others in silent support.

As the magnificent, celestial show carried on entertaining, neither brother found that they were in a hurry to leave...

 **That was probably really awful as I wrote it blindly, with no real idea where it was going - but it's out of my head now so I can rest. Please be gentle if you review. I'm going away for a week tomorrow, so I don't know if I'll manage anything.**

 **Also I noticed that it said on Digital Spy that Sunday's episode was the series finale, yet there are two episodes on the week after - is that the beginning of the new series?**

 **Til next time.**


End file.
